text:
Introducing Mixing Loom – Runtime ActionScript Bytecode Modification
At this year's 360|Flex conference in Denver, Mike Labriola and I unveiled a new project we've been working on called Mixing Loom. Our presentation was called "Planet of the AOPs" because Mixing Loom lays the foundation for true Aspect Oriented Programming (AOP) on the Flash Platform. Mixing Loom provides Flex and ActionScript applications the hooks they need to do bytecode modification either before runtime or at runtime. Through bytecode modification an application can apply a behavior across hierarchies of objects. There are a number of behaviors in a typical Flex application (such as logging, security, application configuration, accessibility, and styling) that could be represented as Aspects. Today these behaviors must either be included in every class that needs them or included way down the object hierarchy (i.e. UIComponent). With Mixing Loom a compiled SWF can be modified (applying necessary behaviors) after it's been compiled or as it's starting up.
If you are building Flex apps and want to take advantage of AOP then Mixing Loom is probably a bit lower level than what you need. Mixing Loom combined with AS3 Commons Bytecode provides the foundation for AOP systems to be built on top of. We hope that by providing developers the hooks to modify bytecode that frameworks will emerge that provide application developers higher level APIs based on AOP. As Mike says, "Mixing Loom kicks off the Summer of AOP."
If you are one of those developers who likes getting dirty with bytecode modification then you might want to check out the slides from the "Planet of the AOPs" session:
If you are still following along and looking for more details on how to use Mixing Loom, then keep reading. Flex applications are broken into at least two pieces. The first piece is the thing that displays the loading / progress bar. That is located on the first "frame" of an application's SWF file. The rest of the application is on the second frame of the main SWF and possibly in other SWF files like Modules and/or Runtime Shared Libraries (RSLs). Mixing Loom provides two ways to modify the bytecode of a running application. First, using a custom preloader an application can modify its second frame and/or any Flex Modules before they are loaded into the VM. The second way is to use LoomApplication and a custom preloader, which allows an application to modify its second frame, modules, and/or RSLs (even the signed Flex Framework RSLs). Let's walk through a simple example of an application that uses a custom preloader to modify a string that exists in its second frame.
Let's take a simple object Foo that has a getBar method, which returns a string "a bar":
package blah
public class Foo
public function getBar():String
return "a bar";
And here is a simple application that just displays the results of calling an instance of Foo's getBar method:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<s:Application xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009"
import blah.Foo;
var foo:Foo = new Foo();
l.text = foo.getBar();
<s:Label id="l"/>
If you were to run this application as is then the Label would display "a bar" - as expected. But to give you an idea of how to do runtime bytecode modification let's change the "a bar" string to something else. (BTW: If you are following along then you will need to pull down the mixingloom-core code from github and compile it on your own because we haven't published a SWC for Mixing Loom yet.) The thing in Mixing Loom that actually does the bytecode modification is called a "Patcher" so we will need to create one of those that searches the bytecode for a string and then replaces that string. Before we do that, let me explain how a SWF file is structured. Every SWF file is a series of "tags". There are many different tag types but the types we are interested in for bytecode modification are the ones that actually contain the ActionScript ByteCode (ABC). This is the DoABC tag - type 82. For a full list of SWF tags and their structures check out the SWF Spec. One of the tag types indicates an executable boundary called a Frame. As a SWF file is being loaded by Flash Player it is parsing it. When Flash Player parses a "ShowFrame" tag it knows it can load and run the preceding tags. The code doing the bytecode modification will be running on the first frame, which means that all of the tags to do the modification and those to display the Flex preloader will have already been loaded. That means we can't modify those tags using this method at runtime. But we can modify the tags on the second frame of the SWF, which will be passed to our Patcher before they have actually been loaded.
Here is the code for the StringModifierPatcher:
package org.mixingloom.patcher
import flash.utils.ByteArray;
import org.as3commons.bytecode.tags.DoABCTag;
import org.as3commons.bytecode.util.AbcSpec;
import org.mixingloom.SwfContext;
import org.mixingloom.SwfTag;
import org.mixingloom.invocation.InvocationType;
import org.mixingloom.utils.ByteArrayUtils;
public class StringModifierPatcher extends AbstractPatcher
public var originalString:String;
public var replacementString:String;
public function StringModifierPatcher(originalString:String, replacementString:String)
this.originalString = originalString;
this.replacementString = replacementString;
override public function apply( invocationType:InvocationType, swfContext:SwfContext ):void
var searchByteArray:ByteArray = new ByteArray();
AbcSpec.writeStringInfo(originalString, searchByteArray);
var replacementByteArray:ByteArray = new ByteArray();
AbcSpec.writeStringInfo(replacementString, replacementByteArray);
for each (var swfTag:SwfTag in swfContext.swfTags)
if (swfTag.type == DoABCTag.TAG_ID)
swfTag.tagBody = ByteArrayUtils.findAndReplaceFirstOccurrence(swfTag.tagBody, searchByteArray, replacementByteArray);
The StringModifierPatcher extends the Mixing Loom AbstractPatcher and takes two parameters, the originalString and the replacementString. The StringModifierPatcher has an apply method, which will be called by Mixing Loom during application startup. In the apply method the StringModifierPatcher creates a search ByteArray and a replacement ByteArray from the provided strings. Then it loops through each tag from the second frame of the SWF being loaded (ignoring everything that is not a DoABC tag) and then uses Mixing Loom's ByteArrayUtils.findAndReplaceFirstOccurrence utility to replace the first occurrence of the search ByteArray with replacement ByteArray. Finally it notifies Mixing Loom that it is all done by calling the invokeCallBack method. So that is the simple example of actually modifying the application, but we still need to set the hooks in the main application so that Mixing Loom can do its thing.
Since this example only modifies frame 2 tags (no RSLs), we can just use a custom preloader to set up the Mixing Loom hooks. Here is the StringModifierPatcherPreloader:
package preloader {
import org.mixingloom.managers.IPatchManager;
import org.mixingloom.patcher.StringModifierPatcher;
import org.mixingloom.preloader.AbstractPreloader;
public class StringModifierPatcherPreloader extends AbstractPreloader {
override protected function setupPatchers(manager:IPatchManager):void {
manager.registerPatcher( new StringModifierPatcher("a bar", "not really a bar") );
The StringModifierPatcherPreloader extends Mixing Loom's AbstractPreloader and uses the setupPatchers method to register a new patcher. In this case the only patcher is an instance of the StringModifierPatcher that will search for the default "a bar" string and replace it with the "not really a bar" string.
The last thing to make this all work is to tell the main application to use the new preloader:
<s:Application xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009"
Here is the result:
Exciting! Our application code just modified itself at startup! Now this is obviously a very trivial example but I hope it provides a basic understanding of how to use Mixing Loom as the foundation for AOP. Let's walk through some other examples that are more exciting (and complex).
For the next example let's do something a little more AOP-ish. There will be an XML configuration file that is loaded on startup that will specify some classes and methods to apply interceptors to. An interceptor is simply a method call injected into the body of a method. First, here is the FooInterceptor class:
import mx.core.FlexGlobals;
public class FooInterceptor
public static function interceptAll():void
FlexGlobals.topLevelApplication.setStyle("backgroundColor", Math.random() * 0xffffff);
For demo purposes this interceptor is very simple - it just changes the application's background color. Here is the XML configuration file that the application will load on startup to determine where to apply the interceptor:
In this case it is saying to only apply the interceptor to the SWF tag with the name "blah/Foo". In a debug version of the application the Foo class from above will be in its own SWF tag named "blah/Foo". The reason that the SWF tag is specified in this case is because by doing this the application won't need to deserialize and reserialize every class. The downside to doing things this way is that it won't work if we create an optimized SWF where all of the frame 2 classes are contained in one SWF tag. With some more work in AS3 Commons Bytecode we could optimize things for this kind of use case. Volunteers? :) The methodEntryInvoker simply specifies the class and method name to call on method entry. This interceptor will be added to every method, on every class in the SWF tag with the name "blah/Foo".
Now for the fun part… Here is the patcher that loads the XML config file, parses it, and then applies the interceptor:
package patcher {
import flash.events.Event;
import flash.events.TimerEvent;
import flash.net.URLLoader;
import flash.net.URLLoaderDataFormat;
import flash.net.URLRequest;
import flash.utils.ByteArray;
import org.as3commons.bytecode.abc.AbcFile;
import org.as3commons.bytecode.abc.InstanceInfo;
import org.as3commons.bytecode.abc.LNamespace;
import org.as3commons.bytecode.abc.MethodInfo;
import org.as3commons.bytecode.abc.Op;
import org.as3commons.bytecode.abc.QualifiedName;
import org.as3commons.bytecode.abc.enum.Opcode;
import org.as3commons.bytecode.io.AbcSerializer;
import org.mixingloom.SwfContext;
import org.mixingloom.SwfTag;
import org.mixingloom.invocation.InvocationType;
import org.mixingloom.patcher.AbstractPatcher;
import org.as3commons.bytecode.io.AbcDeserializer;
public class SampleXMLPatcher extends AbstractPatcher {
public var url:String;
private var swfContext:SwfContext;
public function SampleXMLPatcher(url:String) {
this.url = url;
override public function apply( invocationType:InvocationType, swfContext:SwfContext ):void {
if (invocationType.type == InvocationType.FRAME2) {
this.swfContext = swfContext;
var urlLoader:URLLoader = new URLLoader();
urlLoader.dataFormat = URLLoaderDataFormat.TEXT;
urlLoader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, handleXMLLoad);
urlLoader.load(new URLRequest(url));
else {
private function handleXMLLoad(event:Event):void {
var xmlData:XML = new XML((event.currentTarget as URLLoader).data as String);
var swfTagName:String = xmlData.interceptor.swfTag;
var methodEntryInvokerClassName:String = xmlData.interceptor.methodEntryInvoker.className;
var methodEntryInvokerMethodName:String = xmlData.interceptor.methodEntryInvoker.methodName;
var methodEntryInvokerClassQName:QualifiedName = new QualifiedName(methodEntryInvokerClassName, LNamespace.PUBLIC);
var methodEntryInvokerMethodQName:QualifiedName = new QualifiedName(methodEntryInvokerMethodName, LNamespace.PUBLIC);
for each (var swfTag:SwfTag in swfContext.swfTags) {
if (swfTag.name == swfTagName) {
// skip the flags
swfTag.tagBody.position = 4;
var abcStartLocation:uint = 4;
while (swfTag.tagBody.readByte() != 0) {
abcStartLocation++; // skip the string byte terminator
swfTag.tagBody.position = 0;
var abcDeserializer:AbcDeserializer = new AbcDeserializer(swfTag.tagBody);
var abcFile:AbcFile = abcDeserializer.deserialize(abcStartLocation);
for each (var instanceInfo:InstanceInfo in abcFile.instanceInfo) {
for each (var methodInfo:MethodInfo in instanceInfo.methodInfo) {
var startIndex:uint = 0;
for each (var op:Op in methodInfo.methodBody.opcodes) {
if (op.opcode === Opcode.pushscope) {
var findOp:Op = new Op(Opcode.findpropstrict, [methodEntryInvokerClassQName]);
var getOp:Op = new Op(Opcode.getproperty, [methodEntryInvokerClassQName]);
var callOp:Op = new Op(Opcode.callproperty, [methodEntryInvokerMethodQName, 0]);
methodInfo.methodBody.opcodes.splice(startIndex, 0, findOp, getOp, callOp, new Op(Opcode.pop));
var abcSerializer:AbcSerializer = new AbcSerializer();
var modifiedBytes:ByteArray = new ByteArray();
modifiedBytes.writeBytes(swfTag.tagBody, 0, abcStartLocation);
swfTag.tagBody = modifiedBytes;
The constructor for this patcher takes a URL, which is used to specify the XML config file. Then in the apply method, if the invocation type is "FRAME2" (meaning the patcher is being applied to the SWF tags on the second frame of the loading SWF) then it uses URLLoader to load the XML config file. Notice that URLLoader is used, not HTTPService. That is because anything that goes into a patcher is put on the first frame of the SWF and if HTTPService was used here, then there would be a ton of additional classes (dependencies) that would need to also be moved to the first frame. While technically this would work, it's not a good practice because the more that is on the first frame, the longer the user has to wait before the preloader shows up (remember: all of the frame must be transferred across the network before the frame is loaded into the VM). If the invocation type is not "FRAME2" then the invokeCallBack method is called to tell Mixing Loom that this patcher is done with the current invocation. Side note: patchers can block for as long as they want. Nothing moves forward in Mixing Loom until a patcher calls the invokeCallBack method.
When the data for the XML file arrives it is parsed using the E4X library. Then new QualifiedName instances are created based on the interceptor's class and method names. Now the SWF tag with the name specified in the XML file is processed. First it is deserialized by AS3 Commons Bytecode. This provides an object representation of the underlying ABC code contained in the SWF tag. Then for every class and method the interceptor is applied at the beginning of the method. Kinda. There are a few operations that must happen at the very beginning of the method. For each method being intercepted we need to move past the "pushscope" opcode before we can insert new opcodes. Then four new opcodes are spliced into the array of opcodes for the method: findpropstrict, getproperty, callproperty, and pop. Those four opcodes are the ABC equivalent of calling the static method on the specified interceptor class. In this case the rest of the opcodes in the method will be left alone. Finally the ABC is recreated using AS3 Commons Bytecode and the original SWF tag is overwritten and the invokeCallBack method is called.
Just like before we need a custom preloader to register the patchers:
package preloader {
import org.mixingloom.managers.IPatchManager;
import org.mixingloom.preloader.AbstractPreloader;
import patcher.SampleXMLPatcher;
public class SampleXMLPatcherPreloader extends AbstractPreloader {
override protected function setupPatchers(manager:IPatchManager):void {
manager.registerPatcher( new SampleXMLPatcher("interceptors.xml"));
Notice that a new instance of the SampleXMLPatcher is created and given the URL to the interceptor XML file. Here is a little test application containing a button that calls Foo's getBar method every time it's clicked:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<s:Application xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009"
import blah.Foo;
import FooInterceptor; FooInterceptor;
<s:Button label="call foo.getBar()" fontSize="32" top="20" horizontalCenter="0">
var foo:Foo = new Foo();
Notice that since there wasn't a reference anywhere else to the FooInterceptor we had to include one manually otherwise it will not exist in the compiled SWF. Here is a demo of that application:
Well, that was fun! And I hope you can see how Mixing Loom can be the foundation for doing AOP in Flex / ActionScript! But before I let you go I want to show you one more crazy thing we can do with Mixing Loom. Patchers can do just about anything they want since Mixing Loom provides hooks to modify the second frame, RSLs, and Modules. For instance, say there is a private method or property in the Flex framework that you need access to. One option is to use Monkey Patching to replace that class with one that you maintain. This is not a very maintainable way to get access to something that is private. Using Mixing Loom you can simply patch the class at runtime. Here is a simple (but impractical) example… The spark.components.Application class has a private method called "debugTickler" on it. Using the RevealPrivatesPatcher from Mixing Loom we can make that method public at runtime. First extend the base RevealPrivatesPatcher class and tell it only to apply the patcher on the "spark_" RSL:
package {
import org.mixingloom.SwfContext;
import org.mixingloom.invocation.InvocationType;
import org.mixingloom.patcher.RevealPrivatesPatcher;
public class MyRevealPrivatesPatcher extends RevealPrivatesPatcher {
override public function apply( invocationType:InvocationType, swfContext:SwfContext ):void {
if ((invocationType.type == InvocationType.RSL) && (invocationType.url.indexOf("spark_") >= 0)) {
super.apply(invocationType, swfContext);
else {
Then create a custom preloader that registers a new instance of MyRevealPrivatesPatcher and tells it to reveal the "spark.components:Application" class and the "debugTickler" method:
package preloader {
import org.mixingloom.managers.IPatchManager;
import org.mixingloom.preloader.AbstractPreloader;
public class RevealPrivatesPatcherPreloader extends AbstractPreloader {
override protected function setupPatchers( manager:IPatchManager ):void {
super.setupPatchers( manager );
manager.registerPatcher( new MyRevealPrivatesPatcher("spark.components:Application", "debugTickler") );
Finally, use the LoomApplication and the custom preloader in order to have the hooks to patch RSLs:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ml:LoomApplication xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009"
try {
l.text = "Yeah. We just modified an RSL at runtime.";
} catch (e:Error) {
l.text = "booo";
<s:Label id="l" text="nothing happened."/>
Notice that we can't use the dot syntax "this.debugTickler()" to call the method since the compiler won't let us do that. Instead we have to use the object key syntax "this['debugTickler']()" in order to make the method call. Now watch as Mixing Loom's magic wand modifies a signed Flex Framework RSL right before your very eyes:
Fun stuff!!! And there is more to come! We are working on ways to also modify the first frame of the SWF and to modify a SWF pre-runtime. But now it's your turn! All of the code for everything you've seen here, as well as some other demos, and goodies is all on github. We'd love to see the community create some interesting and useful patchers! So fork away and have fun! Let me know if you have any questions.


text:
La Grand-Place, Brussels
La Grand-Place, Brussels
La Grand-Place in Brussels is a remarkably homogeneous body of public and private buildings, dating mainly from the late 17th century. The architecture provides a vivid illustration of the level of social and cultural life of the period in this important political and commercial centre.
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0
La Grand-Place de Bruxelles
La Grand-Place de Bruxelles est un ensemble remarquablement homogène de bâtiments publics et privés, datant principalement de la fin du XVIIe siècle, dont l'architecture résume et illustre de manière vivace la qualité sociale et culturelle de cet important centre politique et commercial.
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0
الساحة الكبرى في بروكسل
تضم ساحة الغراند بلاس في بروكسل مجموعة متجانسة على نحو رائع من المباني العامة والخاصة التي ترقى بشكل رئيس إلى أواخر القرن السابع عشر وتتميّز بهندستها المعمارية التي تختصر وتجسّد بشكل حيوي النوعية الإجتماعية والثقافية الخاصة بهذا المركز السياسي والتجاري المهم.
source: UNESCO/CPE
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0
source: UNESCO/CPE
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0
Площадь Ла-Гранд-Плас в Брюсселе
Площадь Ла-Гранд-Плас в Брюсселе – это выдающийся целостный комплекс общественных и частных зданий, датируемых, главным образом, концом XVII в. Их архитектура ярко иллюстрирует уровень социальной и культурной жизни Брюсселя как важного политического и торгового центра Европы того времени.
source: UNESCO/CPE
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0
Plaza Mayor de Bruselas
La Plaza Mayor de Bruselas es un conjunto extraordinariamente homogéneo de edificios públicos y privados que datan en su mayoría del siglo XVII. Su arquitectura es un excelente compendio y una viva ilustración del nivel alcanzado en este periodo por la vida social y cultural en este importante centro político y comercial.
source: UNESCO/CPE
Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0
ベルギーの首都ブリュッセルは、ブリュッゲとケルンを結ぶ中継地のして発展し始め、毛織物業などで特に15~16世紀に繁栄した。大広場(グラン-プラス)を取り囲む市庁舎(15世紀前半)やギルド・ハウス(17世紀末)、邸宅などは公共建築と市民建築が一体となった代表的な遺構である。大広場周辺には17世紀後半以後の建築物が多いが、それらは政治・経済の中心地として栄えたこの街の、高度な社会的・文化的水準を物語っている。source: NFUAJ
Grote Markt in Brussel
De Grote Markt in Brussel is een opmerkelijk homogeen geheel van publieke en privégebouwen, grotendeels daterend uit de laat-17e eeuw. De gebouwen aan het plein laten een eclectische en zeer succesvolle vermenging zien van architecturale en artistieke stijlen. De eerste schriftelijke verwijzing naar de Nedermarckt – de oorspronkelijke naam – dateert uit 1174. De huidige naam kwam in gebruik in het laatste kwart van de 18e eeuw. De soort en kwaliteit van de architectuur rond de Grote Markt samen met de functie als publieke open ruimte, illustreren de ontwikkeling en prestaties van een zeer succesvolle Noord-Europese handelsstad op het hoogtepunt van haar welvaart.
Source: unesco.nl
Outstanding Universal Value
Brief synthesis
Around a cobbled rectangular market square, La Grand-Place in Brussels, the earliest written reference to which dates back to the 12th century, features buildings emblematic of municipal and ducal powers, and the old houses of corporations. An architectural jewel, it stands as an exceptional and highly successful example of an eclectic blending of architectural and artistic styles of Western culture, which illustrates the vitality of this important political and commercial centre.
The Grand-Place testifies in particular to the success of Brussels, mercantile city of northern Europe that, at the height of its prosperity, rose from the terrible bombardment inflicted by the troops of Louis XIV in 1695. Destroyed in three days, the heart of the medieval city underwent a rebuilding campaign conducted under the supervision of the City Magistrate, which was spectacular not only by the speed of its implementation, but also by its ornamental wealth and architectural coherence. Today the Grand-Place remains the faithful reflection of the square destroyed by the French artillery and testifies to the symbolic intentions of the power and pride of the Brussels bourgeois who chose to restore their city to its former glory rather than rebuild in a contemporary style, a trend commonly observed elsewhere.
A pinnacle of Brabant Gothic, the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall), accentuated by its bell tower, is the most famous landmark of the Grand-Place. Built in the early 15th century, the building partially escaped bombardments and underwent several transformations over time. Its ornamental programme is largely due to the restoration campaigns conducted in the late 19th century. Facing it, the King's House, rebuilt in the historicist vein, is perfectly integrated into the ensemble. Its elevation is in keeping with the Gothic style edifice prior to the bombardment and testifies remarkably to the ideals of the contextual conservation of monuments advocated in the 19th century. The King's House has been occupied for decades by the City Museum. On both sides of these monuments symbolic of public authority were houses occupied by powerful corporations. Each different but built over a very short time, they illustrate remarkably the Baroque architecture of the late 17th century, with a singular treatment of the gables and decorations, sometimes fretted, sometimes more classical. Each house has a name and specific attributes, heightened with gold, reminiscent of the status of its occupants. It is interesting to note that this is a rare example of a square without a church or any other place of worship, which emphasizes its mercantile and administrative nature.
Criterion (ii): The Grand-Place is an outstanding example of the eclectic and highly successful blending of architectural and artistic styles that characterizes the culture and society of this region.
Criterion (iv): Through the nature and quality of its architecture and of its outstanding quality as a public open space, the Grand-Place illustrates in an exceptional way the evolution and achievements of a highly successful mercantile city of northern Europe at the height of its prosperity.
The Grand-Place in Brussels meets the conditions of integrity in terms of location, size, and function, as well as with regard to architectural expression.
Over the centuries, the Place has retained its shape, coherence and the essentially Gothic and Baroque attributes which characterize it. It is still a reflection of the Lower Market as reconstructed in the late 17th century and testifies to the willingness of the authorities to preserve the harmony of the square during the rapid rebuilding campaign that followed the terrible bombardment of 1695 so that it could regain its former aspect and splendour. These were top priorities during the restoration campaigns organized by the City from 1840 in the historicist style and during more recent operations. The City Hall still houses a significant portion of municipal services. Embellished by its bell tower, it is the most emblematic element of the square, dominating the landscape of the Lower Town. The old guild houses, at least their façades, retain their specific architectural attributes of Renaissance or Baroque styles, although they have changed functions and have often been transformed into shops. The degree of conservation of the original structures inside the various houses varies greatly. In some cases, almost no changes have been made since the 18th century, while others have been more radically converted or modernized. The Grand-Place and its buildings all benefit from heritage protection measures that guarantee the maintenance of their integrity.
As the size of the Grand-Place is by definition limited, its immediate vicinity corresponding to the historic Lower Town has been included in the buffer zone. This perimeter, also called "sacred island", serves as an approach to the property. Its medieval morphology is partly preserved, however several islands were transformed in the 19th and 20th centuries. Some incorporate important monuments such as the Galleries Royales Saint Hubert (architect A. Cluysenaar, 1847), the Gallerie Bortier (architect A. Cluysenaar, 1848), the Brussels Stock Exchange (architect LP Suys) whose interior is contemporary with those of the central boulevards and vaulting campaigns of the Senne, and those for the sanitation and beautification of the city in 1870. This area is subject to strong commercial and tourism pressures and requires special attention so that its historic urban fabric and architectural features can be preserved.
The authenticity of the Grand-Place, the oldest references to which date back to the 12th century, is undeniable. Evolving over the centuries and rebuilt after the bombardment of 1695, the Grand-Place has retained its configuration over the last three centuries, virtually unchanged.
The authenticity of the City Hall, which preserves 18th-century Gothic components that are intact and highly visible, is established both in terms of materials, style and function. Most of the individual buildings around the square have retained their authenticity to a similar degree, although the interiors of some have been radically altered. Although the main period of reference of the square is the end of the 17th century, the notion of authenticity must also be examined in terms of historicist restoration campaigns initiated at the end of the 19th century which, based on historical documents, attempted to strengthen the coherence of the whole and its rich ornamentation. The statuary of the City Hall and its interior decor were reconstituted at that time. It is in this context that we must perceive the demolition and reconstruction of the King's House, which stands on the site of the former Bread Hall, and of several houses restored at this time based on historical documents and particularly on the engravings of F. J. Rons of 1737. Stone façades of Gobertange calcareous sandstone (or Bruxellian) or Euville stone, sculpted ornaments, and woodwork, were generally reproduced in this context, taking into account the original materials and shapes. Since inscription on the World Heritage List, morphological studies of each house have been conducted by the City, and additional protective measures have been taken to ensure the preservation of the structures and old interior parts of the buildings. The paved foundation of the Grand-Place also benefits from special legal protection.
Protection and management requirements
All the buildings of the Grand-Place are listed monuments. The protection measures and regular restoration campaigns initiated by the City and controlled by the Directorate of Monuments and Sites help maintain the integrity of the whole.
Following the morphological and heritage studies conducted since inscription on the World Heritage List, several decrees for the extension of protection measures covering the interiors of buildings bordering the Grand-Place were issued by the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region. The foundations of the Grand-Place have been listed as a site, and more than 150 buildings have been protected in the buffer zone, particularly in the streets leading to the square and along the Rue du Marché aux Herbes.
In the Brussels Region, the current legislation does not differentiate the management of properties inscribed on the World Heritage List from those of other protected properties. Interventions on these properties are monitored by the Directorate of Monuments and Sites in consultation with the architects of the Historic Heritage Unit of the City of Brussels and/or private owners and, barring exception, must follow a specific procedure in accordance with the procedures established by the Brussels Spatial Planning Code (COBAT). The Directorate of Monuments and Sites also manages the granting of regional subsidies to cover part of the restoration and maintenance costs of the property, which can amount to 80% of the cost of the work.
In addition to the specific measures for listed properties, specific measures for monitoring the property and the planning of the buffer zone are implemented at the initiative of the City of Brussels. In the buffer zone, which consists of 26 densely built islands subjected to commercial, real estate and tourism pressures, there are many challenges in preserving the traditional urban fabric and the specific characteristics of the historic structures. To meet these challenges, the City of Brussels adopted a Management Plan which aims to better coordinate the actions of various private and public actors in various domains in the fields of heritage, urbanism, road systems, mobility, tourism, appropriations, housing, and to add value to the property and its buffer zone. In this context, a general analysis of the property and the buffer zone was conducted, highlighting several issues: tourism pressure, economic pressure and commercial development, real estate pressure, administrative pressure, densification of the inner islands, loss of morphology, road congestion, accessibility, traffic and parking, occupancy and social mixing, problem of abandoned buildings and storeys, erosion/pollution, emergency interventions. Increased means, especially in terms of budget and personnel, would be desirable to carry out effectively all of these actions, in particular those related to the buffer zone.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Continental Wintercontact Ts 850 P Tyres Available in Reading
Wintercontact Ts 850 P
More information
Developed for mid-sized and luxury vehicles and SUVs.
Extreme performance during the cold season.
- Enhanced snow traction given by the S-GRIP pattern layout
- Improved handling on snow due to PrecisionPlus
- Better dry handling performance thanks to PowerSipes
- Reduced stopping distances via ActiveBand
Enhanced traction on wintery roads
With our revolutionary PrecisionPlus and S-Grip technology, no matter what surprises the road throws at you, the WinterContact™ TS 850 P is always prepared.
Superior dry handling performance.
A unique approach to tyre design ensures that you get extreme precision when accelerating and cornering.
Reduced stopping distances.
Continental's ActiveBand technology significantly reduces your stopping distance on dry and wet surfaces.
Award-winning tyres.
The WinterContact™ TS 850 P is the next generation of precision performance from Continental
Tyre Size | Fully fitted price: |
Size 22 Tyres | |
Continental WinterContact TS 850 P 285/40R22 110V


text:
During the Wine Blog Awards dinner at the Wine Bloggers Conference 2012, I had the pleasure of sitting next to Ben Simons from Vinotology. As the "Best New Wine Blog" winner was about to be announced, Ben whispered to me, "one of the best new blogs isn't even among the finalists." Who might that be, I asked? "Wine Folly," he answered.
Since I greatly respect Ben's opinion (and his writing), I checked out Wine Folly the next time I was in front of a computer. Within five minutes, I agreed with Ben — Wine Folly is definitely one of the best new wine blogs I've seen. So why wasn't it considered at the Wine Blog Awards? My guess is that the home page of the site looked more like a magazine or a front for a wine school, rather than a typical blog (i.e., where all the posts are stacked in one vertical column by date, such as on this site). But let's focus on why you should check it out.
First, it's easy on the eyes – clean, uncluttered, and simply but pleasantly laid out, with sharp photography and vibrant color contrasts. Second, the content is extremely well-written — the copy is compelling, well-researched, concise, entertaining (sometimes laugh-out-loud funny) and grammatically correct. That last point is a personal stickler, as I abhor blogs that ignore simple grammar rules and punctuation, are rife with misspellings, and require editing. But then, I'm an old-schooler with an English degree and spent several years of my working career as an editor. I digress …
It's now almost 8 months that I've been following Wine Folly, and since then, the esthetics and layout have changed — there's now a clear button telling you were where the "blog" section of the site resides. It's still clean and supported with rich, vibrant imagery, though perhaps more so now. The design is such that reading seems easy and a pleasure; as someone who has spent time managing website overhauls, I have a special appreciation for simple things like that. But enough about me, this is about you and your discovery of wine, which can be more enriching and enjoyable by visiting Wine Folly. Some of the more recent and informative posts include "How to Order Wine Like a Sommelier," an infographic on "How Red Wine is Made," and an incredibly easy-to-understand explanation of tannins in wine.
But if my glowing recommendation isn't enough, check out the video below to get a hint of what Wine Folly offers.


text: Commencement - Symbols of Authority Office of the President The Ceremonial Academic Mace The ceremonial Academic Mace appeared in European universities during the fourteenth century, and represented the amalgamation of two much older staff-like devices of similar length and shape. These were the regal scepter and the medieval battle mace. Kings throughout history have carried scepters in insignia of the lawful authority of just rulers. Medieval princes first used the battle mace as an effective hand weapon in combat. In the fourteenth century, the royal scepter and the battle mace were combined to produce the ceremonial academic mace. It was carried before royalty, mayors of cities and chief officers of the medieval universities. Today, the mace is used on ceremonial occasions in the life of the university. In commencement exercises, the mace specifically indicates the authority of the university president to award degrees. It is most often carried by the Chief Marshal who immediately precedes the presidential party in the ceremonial procession. The Shaw University Mace consists of a twenty-four inch base of hard cherry and applied dark finish. The large flat ends of the upper mace have been fitted with banks of fine sterling silver. Over this is an open work design with several solid areas, which are decorated with garnets, long regarded as the stone of compassion and peace of mind. This stone also reflects one of the University's colors. The mace design is inspired, in part, by the burning torch depicted in the University's crest. Dr. Paulette Dillard is the 18th President of Shaw University to be handed the University mace, which was designed and executed in 1988 by the noted Shaw University artist and former Associate Professor Minnie McMilan. Academic Attire The caps and gowns worn by those in the procession are of ancient origin and have been the traditional costume of the scholar since the Medieval Period. Today's modern academic costume in the United States is based upon an intercollegiate code established in 1895. The costume code regulated the cut, style and materials of gowns as well as the specification of different colors for different disciplines. These early agreements have been revised periodically to cover standardization of the cap, the gown, and the hood. The distinctions set up by the Intercollegiate Code are simple. Each degree has its own distinctive gown and hood. The gown, commonly black, differs in sleeves and trimming according to level of degree. The bachelor's gown is relatively simple in design. It is full cut, falling in a straight line from an elaborate yoke with long pointed sleeves as its distinction. The master's gown is similar to the bachelor's except for its peculiar arrangement of the oblong sleeves, which terminate in square ends at the wearer's knees. The wearer's arms emerge through slits in the sleeves made at the elbows. The doctoral gown, full and flowing, is distinguished by velvet panels down the front and around the neck and by three bars of velvet on the voluminous bell-shaped sleeves. The velvet is usually black, or it may be a color designating the field of study, for example, dark blue for philosophy. The academic cap was a later development. It was conferred as a symbol of the M.A. degree. Some of these master's caps were stiff, some soft, some square, and some round with a tuft in the center. Today's tassel is an elaboration of the tuft. Although round caps are still used at some universities, Oxford University's "mortar board" style is more common. The most distinguishing feature of academic attire is the hood, which was originally a practical element of dress, but which evolved into a separate and purely ornamental article draped over the shoulder and down the back. The length of the hood and the width of its velvet designate the level of the degree. The color of the velvet edging on the hood specifies the wearer's field of learning. These colors include: Agriculture - Maize Music - Pink Arts, Letters, Humanities - White Nursing - Apricot Commerce, Accountancy, Business - Drab Oratory (Speech) - Silver Gray Dentistry - Lilac Pharmacy - Olive Green Economics - Copper Philosophy - Dark Blue Education - Light Blue Physical Education - Sage Green Engineering - Orange Fine Arts, including Architecture - Brown Public Administration, including Foreign Service - Peacock Blue Forestry - Russet Public Health - Salmon Pink Human Ecology - Maroon Science - Golden Yellow Journalism - Crimson Social Work (Social Science) - Citron Law - Purple Theology - Scarlet Library Science - Lemon Veterinary Science - Gray Medicine - Green Colors of the silk lining in the center of the hood are those of the college or university that conferred the degree. The tassel may be either black or the color of the field of learning. The tassel of the doctor's cap may be gold. Pro Christo et Humanitate (For Christ and Humanity)


text:
Slow and steady never wins the race when it comes to chasing late payments. It is nasty and time consuming especially for freelancers and small business owners. Here are some tips that might help you to avoid late payments and get paid on time.
1. Plug the gaps in customer data
Confirm your customer's 'current' address – both Web and postal addresses. Find out the person who will actually be making the invoice payment and contact him/her. Ensure to use a good invoicing software to keep track of customer data like customer balance, pending invoices, email communication and much more.
2. Set clear expectations
Remember to mention your payment terms and late fees clearly on the estimate or on the invoice. Add a discount factor for the payment that has been made early. Let's say, if the payment is due in 30 days, offer a discount of 2% for the full amount that is paid within 10 days.
3. Invoice right away!
There's no perfect day to send the invoice. Once the work is complete, send the invoice immediately. As the project is still fresh on your clients' mind, chances are high that you will receive the payment on time.
4. Don't be lax in your terms of payment
Be it a friend or your BFF (best friend forever), do not be lenient when it comes to the terms of payment. When you give the clients a leeway in regard to payment terms, it might appear that you are being nice (to yourself), but honestly, you are hurting your business.
5. Call when necessary
Be 'proactive' and give a call to your client to confirm the receipt of invoice. Sometimes clients can 'miss' the email. Also, calling can be a good way to establish and maintain a personal connection with your client.
6. Stick to the schedule
When the clients are overdue on payments, remember not to sound pushy or needy. Following up too quickly or without any pattern might appear as if you are running behind your client with a club. If you feel that manually tracking the invoices that are overdue and sending reminders are a pain, then try the automated payment reminders.
7. Be polite yet professional
Ensure all your communications are nothing but professional. One late payment incident shouldn't be the reason you harangue the customer for eternity. Use 'Please' and 'Thank You'.
8. Be flexible when accepting payments
Accept all modes of payment – cash, cheque or online payments. Some customers are finicky while making payments; give them all the options available. If you haven't already, then start accepting online payments from your clients. Freelancers and business owners who use the payment gateways supported by Zoho Invoice claim that accepting online payment is quick and painless.
9. Down payments might help reduce heartburn
Not every business model requires this, but wherever possible, ask for a down payment upfront. Startups may cringe as this might turn off new clients, but hey, they wanted you to do the job because they liked what they saw. So ask for some amount upfront, if not for the full.
10. Know a lawyer… just in case
You might find this to be absolutely unnecessary, but it wouldn't hurt to get a legal opinion on customers who turn defaulters rather than adding your name and amount to the world's longest invoice.
Following up with your customers in a scheduled, process-driven manner will ensure the smooth flow of cash into your accounts without you actually having to sound like a broken record.
Have you had experience tackling late payments? Share them with us. We'd love to hear them.


text:
Today during the shareholder meeting, Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger reported that only about 50 executives accepted the severance package offered to 619 theme park executives. Disney has also laid off a few people directly or encouraged others into retirement.
50 is way lower than the number I heard Disney had been hoping for to get the desired savings. So, unless Disney sees something positive in the economy that most don't, I'd look for even more layoffs in the coming months.


text:
Slideshow ^ |< << Slide 7 of 27 >> >| |
The text editor
We just met it while creating your own homepage: the text-based editor of MoinMoin. You are, of course, not limited to only using it for that, because you can also use it to change any other page in the wiki.
You can do that simply by clicking on edit or edit (text) in the navigation area and MoinMoin will bring you to the text editor for the current page.
You can't mess anything up, because the previous version of the page is always saved and can be restored if needed.
It is important to frequently use the preview function while editing a page, since using it will tell MoinMoin to create a backup of the editor's current content.
When you're done, you should enter an appropriate comment (which will then appear on RecentChanges and in the history of the page) and click save.
Should there be two people editing a page at the same time, the first person can save without problems. The second person will get a warning and should merge the first person's changes with his own. If you want to edit a page on your own, you should state that on the top of the page.
You should not go back to the editor page with the "back" button of the browser after editing, because this can lead to strange editing conflicts. Just use MoinMoin's edit button again.
If you do not want to save, but instead discard the changes, you should click cancel, so that MoinMoin knows that you are done editing the page.
Further information can be found at HelpOnEditing.


text:
Are You Frustrated By The Home Selling Process?
Selling your house the traditional way can be a hassle. From choosing a reliable real estate agent to dealing with a parade of strangers walking through your house, it's a major disruption to your life. It always takes longer than you'd hoped, and when the sale finally closes you realize there were tens of thousands of dollars in hidden expenses that are deducted from the money you thought you were going to make on the sale.
The process can be even more frustrating if your house needs work, or if you have little or no equity. Buyers want you to make repairs at your own expense. The agent's commission will cost up to 6% of the sale price. And your mortgage payments, taxes, insurance, and utilities all still have to be paid every month that you're waiting to sell.
101 Home Buyers has a better way. If you want to sell your Toldeo house without the hassle… we're ready to give you a fast, fair offer. We'll close on your schedule, pay all the closing costs, and never ask you to make any repairs.
Stop the frustration of your unwanted property. Let us buy your Oregon house now, regardless of condition.
"I Need To Sell My House Fast In Toldeo!"
We Buy Houses Anywhere In Toldeo And Other Parts of Oregon, And In Any Price Range. Check Out How Our Process Works. We're Ready To Give You A Fair Offer For Your House.
There are many reasons homeowners just like you may need to sell quickly. Avoiding foreclosure? Facing divorce? Moving? Upside down in your mortgage? Liens? It doesn't matter whether you live in it, you're renting it out, it's vacant, or not even habitable. We help owners who have inherited an unwanted property, own a vacant house, are behind on payments, owe liens, downsized and can't sell… even if the house needs repairs that you can't pay for… and yes, even if the house is fire damaged or has bad rental tenants.
We understand that every seller's situation is different. Many other real estate investment companies only have one way of buying houses… a lowball cash offer. If you can't or won't settle for that kind of offer, they can't help you. 101 Home Buyers specializes in finding a creative solutions to solve your real estate problem, whatever it is. We'll take the time to get to know you and understand your situation, and come up with an offer that works for you. We can buy houses other companies can't.
Basically, if you have a property and need to sell it… we'd like to make your life easier with a fair offer and a closing date that fits your schedule.
How It Works
Step 1
We research the details of your home and start crafting a great offer for you.
Step 2
We present you with a fair offer with no obligation and no fees.
Step 3
Get the cash you need now. You do NOT have to wait months to get your house sold.
Do You Need To Sell Your House In Toldeo?
Selling a house with a real estate agent isn't for everyone. If an agent can't sell your house, we can help.
What are some advantages of selling to 101 Home Buyers?
- you don't need to clean up and repair the property
- you don't waste time finding an agent who you trust and can sell your house quickly
- you don't need to sign a contract that binds you to an agent for a certain term
- you don't have to deal with the paperwork and the waiting and wondering (and hoping)
The hassle of a traditional sale can add stress, months to the process, and in the end after paying the agent's expensive fees, you may or may not be ahead of the game. And unlike selling through an agent, you don't have to wait to see if the buyer can get financing… we're ready to buy right now!
We specialize in helping homeowners that other investors can't. And if we're not able to help you, we can give you a referral to someone who can.
We work differently at 101 Home Buyers. When you contact us and submit the short property information form (below), we'll work quickly to give you a fair offer on your house… and the best part is: we can close whenever YOU choose to close – it's entirely up to you. It doesn't matter what condition the house is in, or even if there are tenants in there that you can't get rid of… don't worry about it. We'll take care of it for you. And if you need the cash quickly, we can close in as little as 7-14 days because we can buy houses with cash and don't have to rely on traditional bank financing. (Go here to learn about our process →)
In short…
Our goal is to help make your life easier and get you out from under the property that's stressing you out… while still paying a fast, fair, and honest price for your house.
No matter what condition your house is in; no matter what situation or timeframe you're facing… We want to help solve your real estate problem.
What Do You Have To Lose? Get Started Now...
We buy houses in ANY CONDITION in Oregon. There are no commissions or fees and no obligation whatsoever. Start below by giving us a bit of information about your property or call 503-383-1686...Or Give Us A Call or Text Us Now At: 503-383-1686
We help property owners just like you, in all kinds of situations. From divorce, foreclosure, death of a family member, burdensome rental property, and all kinds of other situations. We buy houses in Oregon… including Toldeo and surrounding areas. Sometimes, those who own property simply have lives that are too busy to take the time to do all of the things that typically need to be done to prepare a house to sell on the market… if that describes you, just let us know about the property you'd like to be rid of and sell your house fast.
If you simply don't want to put up with the hassle of owning that house any longer, and if you don't want to put up with the hassle and time-consuming expense of selling your property the traditional way, let us know about the property you'd like to be rid of and sell your house fast. Talk to someone in our office before submitting your property information by calling us today at 503-383-1686
We buy houses anywhere on the Oregon Coast, including Toldeo 97391 and all surrounding areas in Oregon. If you need to sell your house fast in Oregon, connect with us… we'd love to make you a fair no-obligation no-hassle offer. Take it or leave it. You've got nothing to lose.


text:
This site focuses on Madame Blavatsky and her teaching - Theosophy. It features an introduction to Theosophy, study aids, research tools, original text, supporting evidence, membership, and visitor interaction.
BNet Newsletters |
In the coming months, we will begin to post BNet Monthly Newsletters written by various Theosophical students. We will be announcing the first newsletter on the home page. The newsletters below were written by Reed Wood Carson and distributed to members on the first of each month, until his illness forced him to forego writing back in 2007. He passed on in January 2010. We have in many cases incorporated these newsletters into the topics section of the site under the pertinent subject matter. In the course of this Spring/Summer we intend to have all of his newsletters linked.


text:
The Web, notes and civic participation
Posted on:In addition to the Internet-enhanced desktop applications for questionnaires, surveys and opinion polling, productivity software topics are applicable to civics and civic participation and can convenience rational individual decision making and group decision making including voting.
Understanding civics and civic participation to be amongst the tasks of software users, including during and between election seasons, computer software, notes software, calendar software, productivity software, personal information management software, can convenience users and research topics overlap with those of human-computer interaction.
Topical is facilitating the noting of content and the organizing of and use of notes. Ergonomics topics include the ease of noting content in Web browsers and implementation topics include the interoperability between browsers and notes and productivity software. Multimedia technology topics include speech recognition, electronic notetaking, transcription software, online video formats and tracks, captioning and subtitles, multiple devices and second screen scenarios.
During campaign seasons, for each election and for each ballot issue interesting and relevant to users, users can note content, news articles, webpages and multimedia content, and can comment about content with their notes and comments later available for uses including review before voting. Users can do so, in a civic participation capacity, both during and between election campaign seasons.
Software users can dynamically indicate specific topics interesting to them and those topics can be of use in indexing, organizing and navigating their noted content. Users' notes can be navigable with multiple visualizations (e.g. topic-based and calendar-based). Users' notes can be indexed by candidates, ballot issues, keywords and the topics which interest users, so that each user, each voter, can make use of their notes conveniently.
On the topic of opinion polling, lists of topics interesting to users can be an opinion polling topic, empowering users while additionally conveniencing journalists and candidates.


text:
Welcome to My Life in México by Rollins (Rolly) Brook This is a picture story of my retirement life in Lerdo, Durango. |
website is mostly photo essays of typical daily life in a town far off the tourist
path. It is not "my vacation in México." It's a
slice of real Mexican life. I hope you will find it
interesting and entertaining. If you don't want the guided tour and just want to look around, here's the directory. Click here to go to my building projects Hungry? Go to Mexican Cooking Information about Moving to and Living in México Learn about my book. I'm on Facebook as Rolly Brook |


text:
'I didn't feel fear too often'
11/20/2013 03:40PM ● By AclHailstone was awarded the Purple Heart and several other recognitions for his service.
There were 16 million Americans who served as members of the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II. Statistics released by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs indicate that less than two million of them are still alive, and that these veterans are dying at a rate of 600 a day. A short biography of 89-year-old Bob Hailstone of Landenberg, written by Gene Manuel -- a friend of Hailstone's -- recently reached the Chester County Press. Manuel's biography, written in Hailstone's voice, tells acts of bravery and heroism, in fighter planes high over Europe. In honor of the vanishing heroes -- those that helped preserve our country and our way of life 70 years ago -- we recently met with Hailstone and his wife Jean, if for no other reason than to document this man's story and shine what light we can on a life lived in quiet dignity.
By Richard L. Gaw
Staff Writer
Five months shy of his 90th birthday, Bob Hailstone spends the majority of his days tending to the many fruit trees that sprout up on his six acres that border the White Clay Creek Preserve in Landenberg. The house he shares with Jean, his wife of 68 years, and their dog Ike, is filled with the trinkets common to those who have lived a rich and happy life -- family photos of his four children and many grandchildren, that line walls and take up cabinet space.
Perhaps the only reminder that he once served as a tail gunner during World War II 69 years ago is a color illustration of a United States B-26 bomber plane, which he rode while engaging in gunfire with Nazi airships ten thousand feet above the ground in France and Switzerland in 1944 and 1945. There were moments, he said, when a direct hit on the aircraft would be a merciful act, given the stress of the missions, and the wear and tear on his 19-year-old body who spent the last of his teenage years in the very back of a fighter plane.
There is one more thing that brings him back to the war.
"My hands, they always seem to be cold," Hailstone said. He looked down at his fingers. They recalled for him the four-foot-high confines of his world war workplace, where the nature of his task forced its windows to be raised in order for him to fire the two machine guns, all in the whiplash-sharp winds that rose over 100 miles per hour in temperatures that sometimes drifted to 50 below zero.
"I wanted to serve earlier, but I was too young when the war started in 1941," said Hailstone, whose father was a Marine. "I had three older brothers serving, one in Washington, D.C., one in the Navy in the Pacific, and the third in Hawaii."
Hailstone's visions of grandeur in war, no doubt heightened by what he was seeing in the newsreels and in the newspapers, almost never happened. While at Camp Pickett in Virginia for basic training, he was assigned to the medical corps, where he worked with a dental surgeon. I didn't get into the war for this, he told the surgeon, who told Hailstone that the only divisions that had openings were the parachute corps or the Air Force. He was assigned to the Army Air Force in its armament program. He attended gunnery school, was shipped to Shreveport, La., and was assigned as a tail gunner. He was stationed in the rear of the plane to operate a machine gun and fight off attacks from enemy aircraft.
After leaving Virginia, Hailstone became a member of the 1st Tactical Air Force in Dijon, France, assigned to the 17th Bomb Group, 34th Bomb Squadron. The unit was to support the southern front near the Alps in Switzerland, against the onslaught of the Nazi invasion through Europe. On Dec. 29, 1944, Hailstone climbed into a B-26 Bomber and embarked on a mission to the Nazi barracks at Kaiserlautern, which had already been hit on Jan. 7, Aug. 11 and Sept. 29 of that year. During the battle, flak from the enemy was heavy, and Lt. Vern Engesath, the pilot, was hit in the head and died. The plane was taken over by the co-pilot, who managed to get it back to the base.
"It was a bitterly cold day in Dijon, and when we got to the target, we knew that only the lead ship was the one carrying the bombs," Hailstone said. "When the resulting flak from the hit rose up, the plane was ambushed, but we managed to get out alive."
Letters to his family were kept to a minimum. He thought that if he wrote a lot of letters, he would get a lot back, and he didn't want to spend his time writing. His life was all about the missions he saw posted on the board, and there were new targets every day. The only thing he knew about the Nazis and Adolph Hitler and Emperor Hirohito was what he managed to read in the newspapers, or what was broadcast on the radio.
"I didn't feel fear very often, because I was so taken up with the job and watching for fighters, and at that age, I didn't have much in the way of fear. I was 19 years old, maybe 20," he said.
On Feb. 25, 1945, Hailstone volunteered for a mission to bomb the ammunition depot at Siegelsbach in Germany. He sat in the rear of one of the 50 U.S. airships that descended on the depot and suddenly, after he heard the call "Bombs away!", a tremendous explosion lifted the entire plane he was riding in.
In the next moments, the plane emergency landed on the deck of the nearby ship. As he began to make his way off the plane to hop aboard a single-engine plane, Hailstone heard words he will never forget.
"Somebody said, 'Look at the wall of fire,'" he said, "and when I looked up to see, I was hit with shrapnel from the blast. That spun me around so that I was now facing the front of the aircraft."
Hailstone absorbed injuries to his buttocks, his left hip, his left elbow, his right ankle and his spine. From the back end of the plane, he rolled his helmet to the medics to let them know he was injured. Soon, he was transported to the ship's dispensary, where the surgeon recommended that Hailstone be transferred to a hospital in nearby Dijon. He had a cast on one ankle, had no feeling in one leg. Eventually, he was sent to a hospital ship in Scotland.
On convalescent leave, Hailstone came home. He first landed in New York City, where he and other veterans were given a heroes welcome. He was then sent to Kennedy General Hospital in Tennessee, and then to a convalescent hospital near Lake Champlain in upstate New York. On leave from the hospital, he returned home to his parents in Moosic.
One day, he went to the corner drug store to buy cigarettes, and behind the counter he saw the prettiest girl he'd ever seen. He took his brother-in-law Gil, who'd just been discharged from the Coast Guard, back to the store a few days later. Gil convinced him to ask the girl out. Sixty-eight years and four children later, they're still together.
"All I remember of him was that wore the ugliest green tweed suit I'd ever seen, and that he seemed like a nice guy," Jean said.
The United States declared its victory in the European Theater on May 8, 1945. On Aug. 6 and 9, atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which led to the surrender of the Japanese on Sept. 2, aboard the U.S.S. Missouri. Until the day that victory was declared in Japan, Hailstone was planning to return to war. He wanted to fly B-29s in the Pacific.
"I just liked to fly," he said. "The war was on, and it was just a case of doing what we could do in order to bring the war to an end. If it meant flying up to Japan, I was willing to do it."
On Sept. 14, Hailstone received his honorable discharge, and for his service, he was awarded the Purple Heart, the Air Medal with Cluster, the Good Conduct Medal, and African and Middle Eastern Theater medals. In total, Hailstone went on 15 missions, and only four of them were assigned. For the remaining 11, he volunteered.
When he came home to Pennsylvania, he began work at a silk factory in Scranton, earning $20 a week. He later took a job as a salesman at a furniture store in Scranton, then accepted a job at the DuPont Company in Wilmington, where he stayed until his retirement in 1982.
"I'm a veteran myself and always have been enthusiastic about World War II," said Gene Manuel, who recently interviewed Hailstone for a short biography. The idea to interview Hailstone came originally from Manuel's service as a gunner and assembly machinist of nuclear warheads, while in Germany from 1960 to 1962.
"I'd been interested in knowing more about Germany's part in the war, from my time there," Manuel said. "When I found out that Bob was a tail gunner, I thought that he should receive some glory for his service."
Through their association with the Newark Baptist Church, Manuel and Hailstone have known each other for 20 years.
"His story wasn't something he really wanted to share," Manuel said. "He comes from a time when people felt it was their duty to serve the country, and he's told me many times that if he had to do it all over again, he would.
"A lot of things have changed since then," he added. "I don't think we have the morals and the values that we had in those days. It hurts me when I go to a ballgame and people don't stand up during 'The National Anthem' or take their hats off. Bob's is a generation that we're quickly losing."
The peaches, apples and grapes that Hailstone grows need attention during the growing season, and he's constantly on a quest to outsmart the varmints who threaten to eat his crop before he does. There's always firewood to cut and brush to clear, just as there are children and grandchildren to visit. His daughter, Lois, lives with her family in the house next door; son Jimmy is over in Marshalton, daughter Roberta lives in Bear; and Julie, their youngest, lives in Maryland.
"He takes care of me," said Jean. "When I can't hear, he's my interpreter, and I'm not walking that great these days, so he's my legs. He truly is one of the Greatest Generation. They don't come any better than him. He's a great dad, a great husband, a great farmer. I would like to recycle our life, and get 68 more years with him."
For nearly 60 minutes, Hailstone spoke quietly during the interview. His answers to questions often came with a shrug, and whenever any mention of heroism was brought up, he became one more defender of perhaps the greatest mystery of the Greatest Generation, which still, almost 70 years since after victory was declared in Europe and the Pacific, remains largely unsolved. At a time when social media has perpetuated an entire generation of voyeurs; when we can tell people everything about our lives in the push of a button, people like Hailstone -- who can truly brag about accomplishment -- have chosen not to do so.
"I've just never had much to say," Hailstone said. "It was gone, over with. I felt that I didn't want to live in yesterday. I just thought I wanted to stay with today and tomorrow."
Hailstone said he is the last surviving member of his crew. The information hung over the conversation like a final sentence does in a novel. From somewhere in the house, a clock chimed, indicating that a new hour had begun.
Veterans Day may have passed, but recognition of our nation's veterans should not be confined to just one day. In a series scheduled to periodically publish throughout the next year, the Chester County Press will profile some of our area's war veterans. If you know a veteran you think has a story to tell, let us know. E-mail a brief bio to [email protected].


text:
"Fall in love or fall in hate. Get inspired or be depressed. Ace a test or flunk a class. Make babies or make art. Speak the truth or lie and cheat. Dance on tables or sit in the corner. Life is divine chaos. Embrace it. Forgive yourself. Breathe. And enjoy the ride."
Valeri Hernandez


text:
Hot Italians at Kokkari, Ristobar
August 27, 2013
Miuccia Prada was in Kokkari last Tuesday with Prada's owner Patrizio Bertelli. Bertelli inspected the fish with sous chef Tony Cervone, who speaks Italian, and selected a two-pound pompano for dinner. The group of 12 included family and friends, who enjoyed five orders of saganaki.
Then, on Thursday, Mr. Bertelli was spotted at Ristobar after the Italians were defeated by New Zealand. No word if he was with the fabulous Miuccia.


text:
Tako, Elad | |
Glahn, Raymond |
Submitted to: International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 11/21/2010 Publication Date: 12/29/2010 Citation: Tako, E.N., Glahn, R.P. 2010. White beans provide more bioavailable iron than red beans: studies in poultry (Gallus gallus) and an in vitro digestion/Caco-2 model. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. 80(6)416:429. Interpretive Summary: This study was to determine if in vivo studies would support the observation of our lab's in vitro studies which indicates that beans high in polyphenols (colored beans) are less bioavailable than white beans. Four different diets using either white or red beans (supplemented and non-supplemented with iron) were fed to young chicks and the physical and genetic status of the chicks were checked over several weeks. The data suggests that white beans were more bioavailable than red beans and supports the in vitro observations. Technical Abstract: Iron-biofortification of crops is a strategy that alleviates iron deficiency. The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an attractive candidate for biofortification. However, beans are high in poly-phenols that may inhibit iron absorption. In vitro studies have shown that iron bioavailability from white beans is higher than that from colored beans. In this study, our objective was to determine if white beans contain more bioavailable iron than red beans and to determine if the in vitro observations of bean-iron bioavailability would be evident in an in vivo feeding trial. We compared iron bioavailability between diets containing either white (Matterhorn) or red (Merlot) beans, which differ in polyphenol content. One-week-old chicks (Gallus gallus) were divided into four groups: 1. "WB": 40% white-bean diet; 2. "RB" :40% red-bean diet; 3. "WB+Fe": 40 % white-bean diet; 4. "RB +Fe": 40 % red-bean diet (51, 47, 179, and 175 ppm iron, respectively). Diets 1 and 2 had no supplemental iron; whereas 125 ug/g iron was added to diets 3 and 4. For 8 weeks, hemoglobin, feed consumption, and body weights were measured. Divalent metal transporter 1 (iron-uptake-transporter), duodenal-cytochrome-B (iron reductase), and ferroportin (iron-exporter) expressions were higher (p <0.05), villus-surface-area (tissue iron-deficiency adaptation) was greater in the "RB" group vs. other groups. Cecal microflora was similar between treatments. Hemoglobin, body-hemoglobin iron, and body weights were lower in the "RB" group vs. other groups (p<0.05). In vitro analysis showed lower ferritin formation (less bioavailable iron) in cells exposed to the "RB" diet. We conclude that the in vivo results support the in vitro observations; i.e., white beans contain more bioavailable iron than red beans. |


text:
JPMorgan has agreed to a $13 billion settlement over mortgage-backed securities sold ahead of the financial crisis, officials announced Tuesday.
The Justice Department called the agreement "the largest settlement with a single entity in American history."
At issue are allegations that JPMorgan and firms it later purchased, Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual, sold risky mortgage securities during the housing bubble while misrepresenting their quality. These securities later failed in huge numbers, playing a key role in the 2008 crisis.
"Without a doubt, the conduct uncovered in this investigation helped sow the seeds of the mortgage meltdown," Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement.
As part of the agreement, JPMorgan admitted to making "serious misrepresentations" to investors in mortgage-backed securities, the Justice Department said.
Bank executives were at pains to emphasize that they had not admitted to any specific violation of the law during a conference call with analysts Tuesday. Such an admission would provide ammunition for private lawsuits.
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said in a statement the firm was "pleased to have concluded this extensive agreement."
The $13 billion figure includes a $4 billion settlement announced last month by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which has overseen government-backed housing finance firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac since their 2008 bailout. JPMorgan agreed to pay $4 billion to resolve securities fraud claims and another $1.1 billion to repurchase mortgages sold to Fannie and Freddie.
Fannie and Freddie purchased billions of dollars' worth of mortgage-backed securities ahead of the crisis and required a government rescue in 2008 when those investments soured.
Related: Where the settlement money goes
Tuesday's agreement, rumored for weeks, drew Dimon to Washington in September for negotiations with Holder.
Some $4 billion of the settlement has been earmarked to help consumers. This total includes $2 billion to be used for principal reductions for borrowers, and $2 billion worth of other assistance, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said.
This assistance includes loan refinancing, donation of bank-owned properties, and new mortgage loans to low- and moderate-income families harmed by the crisis.
An independent monitor has been appointed to ensure compliance by the bank, which has agreed to complete the consumer-focused efforts by the end of 2017.
The National Credit Union Association will receive a $1.4 billion cash payment under the settlement, while the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation will get $515 million. Among the states who brought claims against the bank, California will receive $299 million; Delaware will get $20 million; Illinois gets $100 million; Massachusetts receives $34 million; and New York will receive $614 million.
JPMorgan says the payments to the states and the two agencies -- along with the $4 billion due to Fannie and Freddie -- will be tax-deductible. The final $2 billion of the settlement consists of a penalty to be paid to the Justice Department, which is not tax-deductible.
Related: JPMorgan can deduct big chunk of $13 billion deal
As part of the accord, JPMorgan agreed not to pursue reimbursement for the costs associated with Washington Mutual from a WaMu receivership controlled since the bank's 2008 failure by the FDIC.
JPMorgan has argued that the FDIC is responsible for WaMu's liabilities, and Dimon told analysts the firm would "vigorously pursue" the FDIC receivership for costs associated with WaMu from private lawsuits.
The settlement does not address the question of whether any individual bankers engaged in criminal wrongdoing. There is an ongoing federal probe on this issue in California with which JPMorgan has agreed to cooperate.
JPMorgan CFO Marianne Lake said conduct at Bear Stearns and at WaMu prior to their 2008 acquisitions accounted for the lion's share of costs in Tuesday's settlement. JPMorgan "typically accounted for 20% or less of total losses" on the securities at issue in the case.
Other banks will likely be on the hook for similar settlements. Holder said Tuesday that JPMorgan "was not the only financial institution during this period to knowingly bundle toxic loans and sell them to unsuspecting investors."
JPMorgan (JPM) was just one of 18 financial institutions FHFA sued in 2011, accusing them of selling Fannie and Freddie securities that "had different and more risky characteristics than the descriptions contained in the marketing and sales materials."
The Justice Department, meanwhile, is reportedly looking to use the expected settlement with JPMorgan as a template for deals with other financial institutions suspected of engaging in similar tactics during the housing bubble.
Related: Probe looks at JPMorgan hiring practices in China
The case is the latest in a series of legal headaches for JPMorgan, the country's largest bank by assets.
Last week, JPMorgan announced a $4.5 billion settlement with institutional investors who suffered losses on bubble-era mortgage securities. The firm has paid over $1 billion in fines in connection with last year's "London Whale" trading debacle, and $80 million more over alleged unfair credit card billing practices.
In July, the bank agreed to pay $410 million to settle charges that it manipulated electricity prices in California and the Midwest. It is also facing scrutiny over its hiring practices in China and its alleged involvement in the Libor rate-fixing scandal.
JPMorgan posted a loss for the third quarter based on its massive legal expenses. Dimon called the loss "painful" and warned that litigation costs could continue to be a drag on earnings for several quarters.
The bank said at the time that it was holding $23 billion in reserve for potential litigation expenses, but that its legal costs could be nearly $6 billion more than that in a worst-case scenario.
While JPMorgan is shelling out a staggering amount of money, the bank is large enough to absorb the costs. It booked $21.3 billion in net income for 2012, and has assets of $2.5 trillion.


text:
When my daughter and I visited son/brother in Oregon this summer, we had lunch in a cafe whose salads were accompanied by a soft, moist, seed-encrusted bread that inspired M to ask "Why can't you make bread like this?"
"I can."
"Well, make some, then. Your bread is always too crusty."
When I offered this to M yesterday, I imagined she might throw her arms around me and pronounce me the best baker-mom a girl could hope for.
Not even close. She gave the crumb an offhand squeeze and pronounced brightly, without taking a bite, "Yeah, that's it. I'm not hungry. Good job, though!" I'm not entirely sure, but I think she might have given me a little pat on the head at this point.
M, you are so lucky that I love you unconditionally.
I used a mixture of equal parts sesame and fennel seeds for the coating. Don't do this unless you love the taste of fennel. Sesame seeds by themselves are nice without being quite so provocative.
Although you must not expect your kids to appreciate you for it, you can further soften the crust by storing this bread in a plastic bag once it is cool.
Soft Semolina Sourdough
Yield: 1 kg (2 loaves)
- Mix: 10 minutes
- First fermentation : 4 hours, with folds at 1 hour and 2 hours
- Preshape, rest, and shape: 30 minutes
- Proof: 2.5 hours
- Bake: 45 minutes
Desired dough temperature: 77F
- 252 g flour
- 252 g semolina
- 302 g water
- 13 g (2-1/8 t.) salt
- 151 g mature 100%-hydration sourdough starter
- 60 g olive oil
- seeds for topping (I used equal parts sesame and fennel)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, semolina, salt, starter, and most of the water. Mix on low speed until the ingredients are well incorporated. Adjust the water as needed to achieve a medium-soft dough consistency.
- Continue mixing to a low-medium level of gluten development. Then add the olive oil and mix just until it is incorporated.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled container. Cover and ferment for 4 hours, with folds after the first and second hours.
- Turn the dough into a lightly floured counter and divide it in half. Preshape it into balls and let rest, covered, for 20 minutes.
- Shape the dough into batards. Roll the tops and sides on a wet towel and then in your seed mixture to coat. Place them, seeded side up, on a lightly floured couche.
- Proof, covered, for 2.5 – 3 hours, until the indentation left by a fingertip springs back very slowly.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven, with baking stone, to 475F. You will also need steam during the initial phase of baking, so prepare for this now.
- Just before baking, slash the loaves as you like.
- Once the loaves are in the oven, reduce the temperature to 450. Bake for 8 minutes with steam, and another 25 minutes or so without steam. Then turn off the oven and leave the loaves in for another 10 minutes, with the door ajar.
- Cool on a wire rack.


text:
Land Sea Air
People of the North
Native Peoples
Native Lives and Traditions
Explorers and Adventurers
Heroes and Scoundrels
Community Life
Search Litsite Alaska
Digital Archives
People of the North
Native Lives and Traditions
The ancient ways of Alaska's Natives have been handed down for generations, including potlatching, carving, dancing, and practicing subsistence hunting and fishing. Within each culture, exceptional men and women were respected for their humility while exhibiting skills in leadership, art, and provision for their people.
Sinrock Mary: Mary Antisarlook
(2 pages)
Mary Antisarlook was given the name Changunak in 1870.
"Happy Jack" Angokwazhuk
"Happy Jack" Angokwazhuk overcame unfortunate circumstances to become the most famous and innovative ivory carver of his time.
Benny Benson: Alaska's Flag and its Designer
Alaska was nearing its 60th year under the U.S. flag when Alaska Gov. George A. Parks decided it was time the territory had its own official flag.
Howard Rock and the Tundra Times
Under the direction of founding editor Howard Rock, the village newspaper
Tundra Times
became an important voice for Alaska Natives throughout the state.
(2 pages)
A discussion of shamans, or medicine men, and their practices, can conjure a mixed reaction in every Alaska Native culture.
Supernatural Travel
After an agreement was made with the worker of the supernatural, word of the coming event spread throughout the village quickly.
Totem Pole Restoration Project
(2 pages)
Early in the 1900s, private citizens as well as politicians who saw the deterioration of aged totem poles began calling for assistance.
The Stolen Totem Pole
Vacationing businessmen from Alaska on the "P-I Excursion" asked their captain where they might procure a totem pole for the city of Seattle.
Rise of the Alaska Native Brotherhood
(2 pages)
The Alaska Native Brotherhood was born in 1912, when a dozen Native men first gathered in Juneau.
The Alaska Anti-Discrimination Act - 1945
Alaska moved from a culture of Native/non-Native segregation to equal rights for all under the law, thanks in part to Territorial Governor Ernest Gruening and the efforts of Native activists Elizabeth Peratrovich and Alberta Schenck.
Contact Us
LitSite Alaska, Copyright © 2000 - 2024. All rights reserved.
UAA / University of Alaska Anchorage.


text:
Digimarc has unveiled 3 new digital watermarking solutions for photographers with it Digimarc for Images software. The software features a new "Chroma" technology that embeds ownership and usage rights into the images themselves without affecting the quality of the image. These digital watermarks as embedded and read with Photoshop software and can be detected with free browser plugins for Windows users.
Digimarc for Images is now available in basic, professional and small business editions at price points ranging from $99 to $499.
More details in the press release below. [Read more…]


text: Do you want to feel more fit, energized, and mentally sharp? You can -- the fountain of youth is literally between your ears. A healthy brain is the key to staying vibrant and alive for a long time and an unhealthy brain will take your life early. In this powerful special DVD, clinical neuroscientist and bestselling author Dr. Daniel Amen shares simple steps to boost your brain to help you live longer, look younger and dramatically decrease your risk for Alzheimer's disease. Over the last 20 years at the Amen Clinics Dr. Amen has performed more than 70,000 brain scans on patients from 90 different countries. The brain imaging work he does has taught him that our brains typically become less active with age and we become more vulnerable to memory problems and depression. Yet, one of the most exciting lessons he has learned is that with a little forethought and a brain smart plan you can slow or even reverse the aging process in the brain.


text:
Finance on the Volt Alpine
The Electric Bike Store is able to offer customers finance to help spread the cost of electric bike and accessories that you want to purchase over a timescale that suits you and your budget.Applying for Finance for Volt Alpine
How do I apply for finance?
You must be:
- Over 18 years of age.
- A permanent UK resident.
- In regular employment or permanently reside with your spouse/partner who is in employment.
- In receipt of a pension if you are retired.
- Able to confirm sufficient income if you are registered disabled.